Freylin Love
by InkFanatic
Summary: A series of oneshots and drabbles focused on Freylin because you can pry this ship from my cold, dead hands. It will vary from AUs to something as simple as Arthur and the others finding out about Freya. Enjoy!
1. Home

**A/N: This is both angst and fluffy. I hope you enjoy my first oneshot!**

 **Setting: Between series 3 and 4 I guess? Also, it's an AU. It also doesn't really fit the canon time line, but it's my one shot so screw canon.**

 **Description: Merlin is injured while on a hunting trip with Arthur and the knights. Before passing out, he gives them directions to a place where someone can help them.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin or it's characters cause if I did you can BET THE SERIES WOULD HAVE ENDED DIFFERENTLY -NO IM NOT BITTER AT ALL**

* * *

"Merlin!" Lancelot's yell drew the attention of the other knights. They stared in horror as the manservant collapsed limply to the ground. A bandit grinned, yanking his blade out from Merlin's side. With a roar, Arthur charged the bandit, anger clouding his vision.

Quickly, the knights dispatched the other bandits, and circled Arthur and the other man with their swords raised. The bandit swung his sword towards Arthur's head, but the prince blocked it, and slammed his own blade down. The force of the swing made the bandit drop his own blade, and he fell to his knees. In one fluid motion, Arthur sent his blade straight through the man's chest. The bandit coughed and sputtered, before giving the prince and his knights an evil smile.

"You won't save him." He spat. "The blade- the blade was poisoned." With those words, he became limp, the light leaving his eyes. Terror gripped Arthur as the now dead bandit's words registered. He turned towards Merlin, who had Gwaine and Lancelot kneeling over him.

"Merlin? Come on, mate." Gwaine muttered. Merlin moaned, his eyes fluttering open.

"Merlin, you have to tell us how to help you." Lancelot said gently.

"In-" Merlin paused, a shuddering cough erupting from his body. "In my bag. There- there is a map." Arthur nodded, and Leon rushed over to The manservant's bag, and rifled through it. The knight handed Arthur a piece of rolled up parchment, and with shaky hands, the prince opened it. "This... is the last time I go on a hunting trip... with you." Merlin joked, a small chuckle coming from his throat. He regretted it when the movement made him hiss in pain. Merlin swallowed, and Arthur winced when he got a good look at the red spreading across his shirt.

"You're going to be fine, Merlin." Arthur reassured his servant. "We'll get you to whatever this place is." Merlin nodded, his eyes rolling back as he fell into unconsciousness.

"I'll carry him." Percival stepped forward as he said it. Gently, the large knight held his friend. Arthur studied the map for a moment, trying to figure which direction to go in.

"Sire, we need to hurry." Elyan broke in. Lancelot stared at the limp Merlin that lay in Percival's arms, a concerned expression on his face.

"Of course." Arthur pointed in the direction the map lead. It was a quiet trek through the forest, concerned murmurs and Merlin's ragged breathing being the only thing that could be heard. Arthur cursed when Merlin let out a horrible sounding cough, blood trickling down his chin.

"He'll be alright, princess." Gwaine said, putting a hand on the prince's shoulder. Arthur only nodded, his attention focused on the map. It was different than any other map Arthur had ever seen. After what felt like forever to the knights, voices could be heard in the distance. The group reached for their swords, but relaxed when they noticed Arthur's small, relieved smile.

"This way!" He called. "This is where we're supposed to be!" The prince began to jog, his pace matched by the others. Their relief was short lived, however, when they noticed what the destination was.

"A Druid camp?!" Leon blurted out. The tents of the druids were colorful, the camp was full of life. Children ran about, playing and laughing. The adults went about with their daily work, stopping to greet their friends here and there.

"What is Merlin doing with a map to a Druid camp?" Elyan asked. His question remained unanswered, however. The knights shifted, unsure of whether or not they wanted to trust people who say blatantly used magic. Lancelot glanced at his unconscious friend, and the sight of his barely moving chest made up his mind.

"If Merlin wants us to come here," he stepped forward, staring at Arthur. "Then we should trust his decision." The prince looked conflicted.

"Aye, they could save Merlin's life." Gwaine piped up. "That's good enough reason for me."

"Sire, they have saved my life before." Leon broke in. Merlin was looking worse by the second. "I believe that we can afford their help, just this once." Another bloody cough from Merlin solidified Arthur's resolve. He nodded.

"Let's go." Percival moved forward at Arthur's command. They walked into the Druid camp, and all eyes turned on them. Whispers bounced among the people at the sight of the Camelot knights. When they noticed the prince, however, those whispered turned fearful.

"Arthur, they seem to recognize Merlin." Percival said quietly. Indeed, most of their stares were on the limp manservant. Arthur shook his led out of his daze. Merlin needed help, now.

"Please, we mean you no harm!" Arthur's voice nearly boomed. "Our friend in injured, and we need your help to save him!" The apparent leader came forward, his eyes widening with recognition. The Druid leader opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by a woman's scream.

"Merlin? Merlin!" A woman with dark hair and brown eyes came running forward, her eyes welling up with tears. "Merlin, no!" Her cries were anguished as she came up to the bloodied form of Merlin. Her gaze lingered on the wound in his side, and she reached out for Merlin. Percival pulled back, not wanting to trust this woman.

"How do you know him?" Arthur demanded. "Tell me, now!" The woman ignored the prince, and stared desperately at the Druid leader.

"We need to get him inside." The leader spoke up. "Come, this way." He lead him over to a tent, where a cot was already set up. Merlin moaned as Percival laid him down on it, his eyes opening slightly. His gaze locked on the woman who somehow knew him, a small smile crossing his lips.

"Freya." He whispered. Freya smiled sadly, a few tears trailing down her face. She knelt down next to the cot, and Merlin gently wiped at the tears. "I'll be alright, Freya." He attempted to reassure her, but his voice was pained.

"I know you will." She replied. The knights and Arthur stared at this tender interaction between the two. However, their shock doubled when Merlin placed a soft kiss on Freya's lips, before leaning back onto the cot.

"I love you." He muttered. Merlin eyes closed once again, and he became limp.

"Freya!" A Druid woman called out in warning from just outside the tent. Arthur tensed, expecting danger. Instead, a young girl around the age of six came bursting through the tent. She had dark black hair, and deep brown eyes.

"Daddy?!" She shrieked, her eyes on Merlin. The group from Camelot gaped, unable to say anything. It was all too much to take in, even for Lancelot.

"Willow, go outside." The woman named Freya commanded. The girl stubbornly shook her head. "Now, Willow." Freya turned her gaze on all the knights. "All of you, out." Arthur opened his mouth to protest, followed by Gwaine, but a stern look from Freya and they complied. Still, Willow refused to leave, standing there with her arms crossed. Percival knelt down in front of the girl, understanding the need for her to go.

"Willow, is it?" She hesitated before nodding. "Why don't you come out with us?"

"No! I want to stay with my Daddy."

"If you come with us, we can tell you stories about your Father." Lancelot coaxed the girl into coming out with those words. Freya shot him a grateful look, before turning her attention back to Merlin. The group of knights stepped outside, Arthur's gaze lingering on the tent. All the druids stared at the group of men as the shifted uneasily.

"This way." Willow suddenly said, grabbing Arthur's hand. He looked bewildered as the young girl pulled him towards a camp fire. Hesitantly, they settled down around it, the crackling flames providing light as the sun was beginning to set.

"I can't believe Merlin kept this from us." Arthur said after a moment.

"Kind of makes you wonder what else he's hiding." Gwaine's statement made Lancelot tense.

"How did your Father come here?" Elyan asked Willow. The men stared at her, wanting answers.

"When the prince almost killed Mommy, Daddy found a way to save her." Arthur tensed, and the knights stared turned to him. Willow continued, unaware of the confusion she was causing. "Then he brought her here, and they got married!" She squealed happily. "Soon they had me. But Daddy still had to go work for the prince. So I don't get to see him all the time." Arthur connected the dots in his mind. This explained Merlin's absence from work. "But when I do see him, he tells me all kinds of stories! My favorite is about how his best friend Will saved the prince from bad men. That's why my name is Willow!" Arthur winced in sympathy at the memory. The knights' expression were confused for a moment, but slowly they remembered the stories they had heard from Merlin about his village, Ealdor.

"How old are you?" Leon's voice broke in, interrupting Arthur's sudden revelation.

"This many." Willow said, holding up five fingers.

"What did you mean when you said I almost killed your Mother?" Arthur spoke up, wanting to satisfy his curiosity. Had he really almost killed the love of Merlin's life?

"Mommy was cursed by a mean old lady." Willow began, enjoying being the center of attention. "She became a giant black cat at night." The prince sucked in a breath. The Bastet.

"Well, I'm glad your Father managed to save her." Percival said gently. Willow grinned.

"Daddy's told me a bunch of stories about you!" The girl gestured towards all the knights. She pointed at Lancelot first. "He said Lancelot is his best friend!"

"I thought I was his best friend!" Gwaine cried out in a joking manner. The knights chuckled, and Willow turned to him.

"Daddy said you like to drink a lot." Her voice was deadpan, and the statement sent waves a laughter through the knights.

"Well, she got that right!" Elyan's voice dissolved into laughter as soon as he got the sentence out. Slowly, the laughter faded into chuckles, and Arthur spoke up.

"What does he say about me?" The prince was curious.

"That's you're a clot pole." Willow sent the knights into an even larger fit of laughter, while Arthur snorted indignantly. "But," she continued, and the men calmed themselves. "He also says that you're a great man, and that you'll make a great king one day." Willow's grin was still on her face. The girl was enjoying the attention she was getting from these knights. Still, she craved more. "Want to see a trick my Daddy taught me?"

"Merlin has no skills whatsoever. What could he have taught someone?" Arthur mumbled, receiving a glare from Gwaine. Lancelot was rigid, and he pursued his lips together in concern. If she was Merlin's daughter, there was one thing he could think of that the two would share.

"Yes, please show us." Percival said, encouraging the girl. Willow turned to the flames of the fire, and raised her hand. Lancelot's fears were now confirmed. Willow's brown eyes flashed gold, and sparks from the flames gathered, forming the Pendragon crest.

"That... that was something special." Gwaine said quietly, making Willow beam at the praise. Lancelot glanced at the prince, who was tense.

"Did you say your Father taught you that?" Arthur said through clenched teeth. Willow nodded hesitantly, the shift in the prince's mood evident. Arthur was silent for a moment. "How could he? How could he practice magic and betray Camelot?" Anger laced his words. "How could he betray me?" Arthur drew his sword, and fear coursed through the knights. Sure, they wanted an explanation, but they definitely did not want Merlin dead.

"Sire..." Leon began. Gwaine and Lancelot both stood ready to bolt up if Arthur even made a move towards the tent where Merlin lay.

"Are you going to kill my Daddy?" Willow had tears streaming down her face, the realization of what she'd done now evident. Arthur seemed to deflate a little at the sight of the crying girl, his tight grip on his sword loosening.

"I- I don't know." Arthur stammered.

"Please don't!" Willow was sobbing now, panicked. "He's only ever used his magic to help you!" This drew questioning glances from the men.

"What do you mean, Willow?" Elyan was quiet when he asked the girl.

"He used his magic to help Arthur." She was slightly more calm now that the imminent threat had passed. "Daddy has horrible scars from when he got hurt. I'm not supposed to see them, but one time I sneaked around and saw Daddy take of his shirt." Arthur's eyebrows shot up, and sat back down. "Are you going to hurt him?" Willow asked again.

"No." Arthur sighed. "But I better get an explanation as soon as he wakes up." The last part was muttered, and the knights relaxed at the statement. The all glanced up at the Druid leader, who was exiting the tent.

"You should get settled for the night." He told them.

"What about Merlin?" The Druid leader smiled at Gwaine, in an attempt to reassure the knight.

"Only the morning can tell." The knights were led to a tent where they could sleep. They had a lot to think about.

* * *

Arthur groaned, rolling over. Where was he? This wasn't his bed.

Suddenly, the previous night's events came rushing back to him. Merlin had a family. Merlin had magic. And Merlin could still be dying.

The last thought made Arthur bolt out of bed, alerting the other knights. Quickly, they filed out of the tent, and made their way to the tent Merlin was in. The early morning sun shone brightly as they burst into the tent, concern evident on there faces.

"Merlin!" Gwaine cried out happily. Merlin was awake and sitting up, a sniffling Willow in his arms. Freya was sitting next to him, a worried expression on her face. A grin spread its way across Merlin's face at the sight of his friends, but quickly fell, replaced by... sadness?

"Here." Merlin said, handing Willow off to Freya. The girl clung to her father, unwilling to let him go. "Willow, I'll be right back." His voice was gentle. Willow nodded, moving over to her mother. Merlin gave Freya a quick kiss, before standing. Lancelot rushed forward as he fell, barely catching the man. "Let's talk outside, please." Arthur complied to his request, and the group stepped outside, Lancelot practically carrying Merlin.

"How could you not tell me?" Those were the first words out of Arthur's mouth. Merlin winced at the harsh tone.

"Willow told me what she said." Regret laced his words. "I'm sorry Arthur. I wanted to, truly I did. I only ever used it for you. Only you." Arthur opened his mouth, but Merlin raised his hand, cutting the prince off. "I'm begging you, let my family go. I'll come willingly, but let Freya and Willow go. Please." Desperation. That was the only thing the knights could see in Merlin's eyes. "They don't deserve to die, Arthur. Please let them go." Arthur nearly stumbled backwards at the sound of Merlin's pleas.

"You idiot." The prince hissed. Fear filled Merlin at the sight of Arthur's expression. Arthur stood there for a moment, before lunging forward. The knights shouted, thinking he was going in to hurt the manservant. But, to everyone's shock, Arthur pulled Merlin into a hug. "Do you really think I would be so low as to kill your family?"

"But- but your father. Uther would never-"

"My Father doesn't have to know." Arthur said, putting an end to Merlin's stammering. "In fact..." Arthur pulled back, glancing over Merlin's shoulder. Freya and Willow stood there, a beaming smile on their faces. "You need to come back to Camelot with us." He finished, making Merlin's jaw drop.

"Arthur?" The word was filled with hope.

"Who's going to polish my armor if you don't?" Arthur joked, giving Merlin a smile. The man nearly melted in relief. "We'll have to make necessary arrangements, of course."

"Arrangements for what?"

"Well, I don't think all three of you can live with Gaius." Merlin let out a joyous laugh at the statement. Freya set Willow down, who rushed forward. The girl let out a squeal, and hugged Arthur's legs. Arthur chuckled, patting her head. "I promise that my Father will not lay a hand on any of you." The prince said solemnly. Freya moved towards her husband, and pulled him into a kiss. The two were like that for a moment, before a whistle from Gwaine made them break apart, turning red.

"I can't thank you enough, Arthur." Merlin said. Arthur waved him off, placing a hand on Willow's shoulder.

"From what she tells me, I can't even begin to repay you." Suddenly, a grin spread across Arthur's face.

"What?" Merlin didn't like that look.

"Guinevere is going to kill you for keeping this a secret." The knights shook with laughter as Merlin paled slightly.

* * *

 **Whoo- hoo! All done!**

 **Ok I loved writing this. Should I make a part two where they get back to Camelot? Cause that seems like it would be cute.**

 **(Also, just to be clear, this is what happened: Merlin ended up using his magic to save Freya when she was injured, and they decided to live at a Druid camp. Merlin's "map" that Arthur used to track down the camp is enchanted, and it made it so Merlin could find the camp wherever it was. Merlin also found a way to break the curse on Freya, so she no longer turns into a Bastet.) I hope that explanation helps!**

-InkFanatic


	2. Crash and Burn (Modern AU)

**A/N/ So, angst and Freylin. My favorite!**

 **Setting: Modern AU**

 **Description: A modern version of Freya's death. (Which is still caused by Arthur.)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin or Freya**.

* * *

"I just wanted to say thanks again for giving me a ride." Freya told Arthur as he slid into his expensive car. Being the son of a millionaire had its benefits. "I know we don't really know each other all that well." Arthur shrugged, starting the engine.

"I owe Merlin a favor anyway." He replied. "I still can't believe Merlin got a hot date." Freya giggled, and turned to enjoy the view of the countryside as Arthur drove along.

"Well, I think he's- LOOK OUT!" Freya suddenly screamed. Arthur turned just in time to see a semi truck barreling towards the sports car. He slammed on his brakes, but it was too late. Everything went dark as soon as the truck made contact.

* * *

Merlin had been at work when he got the call on his cell. The words "Freya", "Arthur", and "accident" could be heard over the line. Everything else blurred together as he took off running to his car, his hands shaking as he drove.

He burst into the hospital, barely taking time to ask where they were being kept. Merlin could barely breath when he found his mother, Gwen, and Uther waiting expectantly.

"Arthur?" Merlin asked, staring questioningly at the three.

"He'll be alright." Gwen assured him. She swiped at tears that were still falling down her face, and Merlin felt his breath hitch.

"Freya?" Merlin's voice cracked, and Hunith simply shook her head. Tears fell faster down Gwen's face.

Merlin's world stopped.

"No." He whispered. "No no no no no NO!" Merlin fell to his knees, leaning against the wall. Hot tears ran down his face as he struggled to breath. Merlin vaguely registered the feeling of his mother's arms wrapping around him, and Gwen's hand on his shoulder. Merlin's body shook with silent sobs, and those who passed gave him pitying glances. Even Uther felt the boy's pain.

Merlin allowed the two woman to guide him to a car., the tears never stopping as he went.

"Merlin." Hunith said gently. "Merlin, do you want to go home?" Merlin barely nodded, not even looking at her. Gwen felt her heart break at the mournful expression on his face.

"I can stay at his house." Gwen suggested quietly. "So he isn't alone." Hunith gave her a grateful smile.

The next thing Merlin knew, he was in his apartment, with Gwen settling on the couch next to him. He began to sob again as she wrapped her arms around his frame, and tears streamed down her face once more.

Gwen felt her breath catch as Merlin reached into his back pocket, and pulled out a small, velvet box.

"We had a date tonight." He choked out, opening it. A simple, yet beautiful ring sat inside. "We- we were going to her favorite lake." Gwen realized what he meant.

He was going to propose to Freya.

"Oh, Merlin." Gwen pulled him into another hug, and he dissolved into sobs once more.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

Arthur groaned, pain shooting through him as he shifted. Carefully, he opened his eyes, squinting at the brightness of the room. He turned his head to see his father sitting in a chair, dozed off. Gwen was standing in a corner, her eyes red and puffy.

"Gwen?" Arthur muttered, and the girl rushed over, placing a gentle hand on his arm. "Wha- what happened?" His entire body ached as he spoke, and suddenly, his father was there.

"Arthur, you've been out for nearly a week." Uther began, his tone relieved. "What do you remember?" Arthur scrunched his eyebrows together as he thought for a moment.

"I was in my car... and..." he paused, swallowing. "There was a truck that ran into me." Arthur glanced at Gwen, who had tears welling up in her eyes. "What?"

"You..." Uther said hesitantly. "Arthur, you weren't the only one in the car." Arthur gasped, wincing when the movement brought a new wave of pain.

"Who?" A horrible thought crossed his mind. "It wasn't Merlin, was it?!" That would explain Gwen's tears. Arthur relaxed when she shook her head, but still couldn't calm his breathing.

"It- it was Freya." Gwen got the words out, a few tears falling down her cheeks. Arthur sucked in a breath as he placed the name.

"Merlin's girlfriend? Is she okay?" Arthur leaned his head back when Gwen shook her head.

"She died on impact." Uther broke in. Arthur felt dread settle in his gut.

"I'm so sorry, Merlin." He whispered.

Would Merlin ever forgive him?

* * *

 **Ok, short and bitter. PS: Gwen and Freya were friends in this. Just so ya know. Do you want to see more Modern Freylin oneshots?**


	3. Strawberries and Eavesdroppers

**A/N: Ok, so, I swear I'm working on Home PT 2, but I've come to a screeching halt on inspiration. But I promise I will put it up eventually!**

 **Setting: Any time after Freya's death/ Arthur's coronation.**

 **Description: Arthur and the knights notice Merlin leaving late one night. After some prompting from Gwaine, they decide to follow him and see where the boy could be going.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or any of its characters.**

Arthur laughed as Gwaine teased Elyan. The knights had had a late night training session, though many had protested the idea, -mostly Gwaine- saying that they needed their beauty sleep. The training yard was dark, which wasn't a surprise given the time of night it was. Arthur hadn't even planned this training session. The king had been out for a walk, unable to sleep, when he'd found his knights talking in the armory. The idea to have them train had been a spontaneous one. The group talked amongst themselves, taking a momentary break from their training.

"Hey, wait!" Percival suddenly said, drawing the other knights' attention. "Do you hear that?" They froze, listening intently. After a moment of nothing, their tension melted.

"Maybe you're just imagining things, Percy." Gwaine said, chuckling. Percival shook his head.

"I don't think so. It sounded like footsteps." The large knight froze, cocking his head. "There it is again! Closer this time." Arthur and the knights fell back into silence, and sure enough, faint footsteps falling on stone could be heard. Hands slowly crept to sword hilts as the knights quickly, and quietly approached the source of the sound. The wet grass provided a nice cushioning for their heavy footsteps. After a tense few seconds, Arthur let out a sigh of relief.

"It's just Merlin." He whispered back to the others. The knights visibly relaxed, their hands falling away from the hilts of their swords.

"What's he doing out here at this hour?" Leon questioned, peering into the darkness at the servant. Merlin remained oblivious to the group of spies behind him, and continued to head out of the city.

"And leaving Camelot, no less?" Elyan asked quietly. Arthur shrugged, but couldn't deny he was also curious.

"Well, then. There's only one thing left to do!" Gwaine said cheerily.

"Go back to bed?" Percival asked hopefully. Gwaine shook his head, laughing.

"We're going to follow him!" The other knights gaped at him. They were most surprised at the fact that Gwaine wasn't jumping at the chance to go to bed.

"What Merlin does is his own business." Leon interjected. "We have no right to see where he is going."

"Keep telling yourself that." Gwaine said. He turned back towards Merlin's fading figure. "I'm going, with or without you lot!" And before Arthur could stop him, Gwaine was off, quickly closing on the servant.

"Well, I suppose we'll go with him." Arthur's voice was quiet. "If only to keep him out of trouble." The others agreed, sneaking after the usually drunk knight and the king's manservant. It would have been an odd sight to see, had anyone been awake to see it. A group of grown men sneaking around like children would have sent any person into giggles. They quickly caught up with Gwaine, who was grinning triumphantly.

"This is not going to be a normal occurrence." Arthur hissed. Merlin was just off in the distance, and the knights had to keep an even pace to keep the manservant from disappearing into the darkness.

"I just want to see what's so important to keep Merlin up this late." Gwaine explained. "It might be good blackmail material." A quiet chuckle came from Elyan at the thought, but he was shushed by the others. He rolled his eyes, and continued to tromp after the "courageous" knights of Camelot and their king, who fancy sneaking around at night to satisfy a childish curiosity. After a few moments in silence, Arthur held up his hand.

"Merlin is stopping." He told the knights.

"Finally." Gwaine muttered. "Whatever is out here, it better be good."

"You were the one who wanted to come in the first place!" Leon said in disbelief. Gwaine put a finger to his lips, only succeeding in further irritating the knight. He gestured towards Merlin, who had clearly reached his destination. Arthur stared in awe at the lake that they had arrived at. The moon was shining brightly on its still waters, creating a peaceful feeling. Merlin settled down on the lake's shores, fiddling with a small stone in his hands. The minutes dragged by as Merlin sat in silence, staring out over the lake. The knights had begun to fidget, becoming impatient.

"Well this was a waste of ti-" Arthur's statement was cut off by Merlin, who finally began to speak. The knights all leaned in, curious.

"Sorry I haven't come to talk in a while." Merlin began, speaking to, well, no one. The knights glanced at each other, confused. "I've missed you. But King Prat has been keeping me busy with all his chores lately." Arthur snorted in indignation, and received several glares from his knights because of the loud noise. But Merlin didn't hear, and continued talking. "I thought it was bad when he was just a prince, but now that he's king, everything has been even crazier. There's been twice as many assassination attempts, and I swear- they get harder to stop every time."

Arthur's eyebrows shot up. He hadn't heard of that many attempts on his life. One look at the other knights' expression said they were thinking the same thing.

"If I got paid for every time I've been poisoned, shot at, or stabbed just because I'm saving the clot pole's hide, I could stop being his servant and get a kingdom of my own." Arthur almost burst through the trees just then, wanting to demand an explanation. Gwaine and Leon both grabbed at the king's arms, preventing him from making any rash decisions. Questions raced through Arthur's mind.

When had Merlin put himself in so much danger? And, more importantly, why?

"But enough about all the bad things that have been happening." Merlin continued, his tone becoming like lighter. "Arthur and Gwen finally married! It took them forever to get together. I was beginning to think that Arthur would die alone." A quiet chuckle rippled through the group of eavesdropping knights. "Gaius has been teaching me quite a bit about his work. He says that some day I'll be able to take over him. I hope that day is really far off. I don't want to lose someone else. After losing you, and my father, I don't think I can handle the loss of someone else for a long time." Merlin's voice became choked for a moment, and he paused.

Arthur and the knights shifted, feeling intrusive now. They had had no idea Merlin had lost his father recently. And they'd never even heard of Merlin losing whoever he was talking to.

"I miss you, Freya. Sometimes I'll lay awake at night, imaging what it would have been like had you and I made it out of Camelot that night. Had you not-" Merlin cleared his throat. "We would've lived by a beautiful lake, just like this one. I can imagine kids running around as we sit on a blanket, eating strawberries..."

Gwaine felt like kicking himself for not being a proper friend. He'd never heard of this "Freya". She'd clearly been someone important to Merlin. Especially if he was going to leave Arthur and Camelot for her.

"Did you know I can finally make strawberries?" Merlin said. "It took me forever, but I finally managed." Arthur shifted his weight in the tree line, wincing when a crack sounded from beneath his feet. Merlin's head whipped towards the tree line, his gaze searching for any signs of eavesdroppers. "I need to go." He said after a moment. When the knights heard that, they began to leave, not wanting to be caught. But that didn't mean this would be the end of it. Merlin was definitely going to be bombarded with questions we he arrived back in Camelot.

Merlin stood up, stretching as he did so. His eyes remained on the lake for one last moment. "I love you Freya." He whispered into the night. The lake seemed to ripple in response, causing a smile to spread across Merlin's face. That smile remained there all the way back to Camelot.


	4. Too Late-1

**A/N: I'm so sorry.**

 **Setting: None.**

 **Description: Freya comes back, only this time, Merlin isn't there to protect her.**

 **Disclaimer: I only own the tears of my readers.**

* * *

Freya had returned.

And she had immediately set out for Camelot, looking for her Merlin. But when she got there, she found that King Arthur recognized the Druid girl that had killed people all those years ago. She also noticed Merlin was no where to be found.

So there she was, standing at the gallows. Freya looked up towards the entrance to Camelot, her eyes meeting with Merlin's as the executioner placed the noose around her neck. She gave him one last smile.

Merlin began to run.

And the platform fell.

* * *

 **After this series of drabbles, I will finally be posting the sequel to Home!**


	5. Too Late-2

**A/N: Same as last Drabble.**

* * *

Merlin had been out collecting herbs for Gaius when he felt a tug at his magic. It hadn't been a bad one, the kind that normally warned him of Arthur being in danger. It was a good feeling, one that brought back memories of warmth... and strawberries.

The young warlock had never hurried back to Camelot faster.

But when he got there, the first thing he saw was Freya, standing on the gallows. Cold terror made his heart stop, and he began to run once more.

The second thing he saw?

Was Arthur's hand drop.

And the platform fell.


	6. Too Late-3

**A/N: Same as last two.**

* * *

It had been a fairly normal day for Arthur.

Until the Druid girl had shown up.

The king had no idea how she'd survived from the last time, but he was sure not to let it happen again. He had seen the bodies of her victims, and that wasn't something he could allow to happen again.

So, with a heavy heart, he sentenced the girl to hang.

She hadn't put up a fight, and there she stood on the gallows, noose around her neck. Arthur's arm had never felt more heavy as he held it up, ready to end the life of this girl.

The king's arm dropped.

A raw scream echoed through the court yard.

And the platform fell.


	7. Too Late-4

**A/N: More pain.**

* * *

Merlin's scream of pain had echoed through the courtyard, startling all who stood there. Everyone watched in shock as the servant ran forward, towards the gallows, towards the Druid girl.

But by the time he got there, she was already gone.

Leon had to restrain him, and even then, Percival had to step in to help.

When they cut down the girl's body, Merlin was there, cradling her in his arms as he sobbed brokenly.

"Freya." Merlin choked out, brushing the hair out of her face. "No, please, come back to me. I can't lose you again."

She didn't answer.


	8. Too Late- Final

**A/N: Last one.**

* * *

"Merlin. What was she to you?" Arthur's gentle question was directed at his manservant. The knights waited silently for their friend to answer, and Gwen was holding back tears at the sight of her distraught friend.

Yet Merlin had long since stopped crying. He couldn't find the energy to. His eyes met Arthur's, void of all emotion.

"I loved her."

Arthur flinched at the statement.

"And you took her from me again."

With those words, Merlin was gone.


	9. Announcement (AN)

Quick announcement guys!

just so you all know, my updates will not come for a while now. I had pre written most of these on Wattpad, and suddenly, the stupid app deleted it all. So, I will have to re write over 45k words of oneshots before I can consistently post again. I'm so sorry y'all.

-InkFanatic.


	10. Home PT 2

**A/N: The long awaited (or not) sequel to my oneshot, Home!**

 **Setting: Post series three.**

 **Description: Arthur returns to Camelot, with two more people than he left with.**

 **Disclaimer: I only own the plot!**

* * *

Gwen walked briskly down the stairs into the court yard. People were saying Arthur had returned. And that worried her. He wasn't supposed to be back quite yet, and all that the maid could think about was someone getting hurt, forcing them to return early.

So when she laid eyes on the group that was riding into the city, her jaw dropped.

Merlin was riding on his horse, and next to him, a woman was on Percival's mount. He smiled at her, the expression on his face the most lovesick Gwen had ever seen. But that was impossible. The next thing she noticed was a small girl, riding on top of Percival's broad shoulders, much to Gwaine's annoyance.

When Arthur pulled on the reins, forcing his horse to come to a halt, Gwen ran up to him, pulling him into a hug as soon as he'd dismounted. The prince returned her display of affection happily. The maid, though reluctantly, stepped back, just in time to see her brother helping Merlin off his horse. The woman rushed to his side when he let a groan, making Merlin laugh.

"Freya, I'm fine."

The woman- Freya, it would seem, stopped what she was doing, and glared at Merlin, her hands on her hips. "Merlin," Arthur grinned. He liked her already. "You are most definitely not 'fine'."

"Darling-" the term of endearment did nothing to soothe her.

"I love you Merlin, but I did not marry you just so you could get yourself killed." Gwen watched the exchange incredulously, before turning to the blond prince beside her. Arthur, taking the hint, cleared his throat, which caused the two to look over at him and Gwen.

"Ah." Was all Merlin said. He paled considerably at the sight of Gwen's expression, but when he opened his mouth the explain, he was cut off by Gwaine's whining.

"Merlin! Why does your daughter like Percy more than me?" The knight lamented. Percival had a massive (and smug) grin on his face, and the little girl giggled from her perch on his shoulders.

"Uncle Percy gives me lots of rides!" She declared happily.

"'Uncle'?!" Gwaine screeched. He folded his arms and began to pout childishly. But Gwen wasn't focused on that. At the word "daughter" her gaze had snapped to Merlin so fast, it practically gave him whiplash.

"What was that I heard about you having a daughter?" Her tone was dangerous. Gwen took a step towards him, and he instinctively took a step back.

"Freya?" Merlin watched with a sense of betrayal as the love of his life shook her head, her frame shaking with barely contained laughter. "Well, Gwen, you see..." The terrified manservant launched into a hasty tale of what had transpired over the past day. Gwen's eyes had widened in concern at the mention of the arrow, and she had let out a small gasp at the part where the others had found out Merlin had a wife. In Merlin's state of terror, he accidentally included the part about the magic as well, but noted- with relief- that Gwen's expression hadn't really changed. Finally, a now breathless Merlin reached the end of his rambling, leaving a slightly bewildered Gwen.

There was a moment of tense silence before she spoke.

"How could you not tell me?" Gwen exploded, throwing her hands up in the air.

"Well- I mean- Uther would have executed me, and I didn't want-"

"Not about that." Gwen was careful not specifically mention the word "magic." They were, after all, still standing in the public court yard. "I'm talking about your family, Merlin! We're best friends!"

"Technically, I think I'm Merlin's best friend-" Arthur was silenced by a glare from his beloved Guinevere. He glanced at Merlin for support, but his completely useless manservant only smiled in response.

"I'm sorry Gwen." Merlin sounded legitimately sorry. But it might have been the fear. "I promise the next time I have a secret, you will be the first to find out." Gwen crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes at Merlin. After what seemed like an eternity, she sighed, wrapping her arms around Merlin.

"I'm glad you're alright." She whispered before pulling away. Gwen turned her stare towards Freya, and smiled. "It's nice to meet you." Freya took the hand she offered.

"It's nice to finally meet you as well." Freya returned the smile as she spoke, and immediately, Gwen felt she could trust this woman.

"So, tell me, Freya..." Merlin and Arthur watched as the women they loved began to talk with one another, each appearing so comfortable with the other that it looked as if they'd been friends for years.

"You got off easy, my friend." Arthur remarked.

Merlin rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, I did." The two heard the sound of angry protesting behind them, and they turned around.

Willow had moved on from "Uncle Percy" and was now dragging "Uncle Lancelot" by his hand, demanding to see the castle. Gwaine stood there as the knight gave him an apologetic look (that wasn't really that apologetic) and focused his attention back on the little dark haired girl in front of him.

Merlin let out another laugh, but it was cut short by a grunt when a flash of pain reminded him off his injury.

"Let's get you to Gaius." Arthur said, noticing the pained expression on his friend's face. The warlock groaned again, though this time it was not because of pain. The thought of facing Gaius, and telling him what had happened was almost as terrifying as facing Gwen.

* * *

When a suspiciously familiar little girl had come bounding into his chambers, with Lancelot in tow, Gaius had simply raised his signature eyebrow at the knight. But when Merlin, who was supported by Arthur, had been dragged in, the physician had automatically gone into "worry-mode" as Merlin called it.

"What happened?"

"We were attacked by bandits, and Merlin was shot with an arrow." Gaius had already begun to work as Arthur answered.

"Willow!" Merlin's sharp reprimand was cut short by a shattering sound that came from behind, and Gaius turned around to see the gold fading from the little girl's eyes, and a broken vase on the ground next to a blushing Lancelot.

"It was actually my fault. I knocked over the vase, and she tried to catch it." The knight explained. Merlin sighed, and with a muttered word, the vase repaired itself. The young warlock suddenly blanched when he heard Gaius suck in a breath.

"Wait, Gaius! They know now! I sorta kinda revealed my magic butitsokaybecauseArthurunderstandsand-" the old physician raised a hand, silencing his ward.

"Merlin?"

"Yes Gaius?"

"Shut up." Gaius's words sent Arthur into a fit of laughter, while Merlin smiled sheepishly. That was the scene Gwen and Freya walked into two minutes later.

* * *

After a lot of explanations, and some more whining from Gwaine (I just want your daughter to like me!) Gaius had finally accepted his ward's answer. He had been overjoyed to hear that Arthur was going to protect Merlin and his family, which, as it turned out, he had known about (though he never actually met them in person).

That was two weeks ago. Now, Merlin was standing next to Arthur, chatting happily with him. Freya and Gwen were also talking with one another, and once again, Merlin was smiling at how close they'd become in such a short time.

Gwaine was carrying Willow around on his shoulders, happy that he'd finally won her over, even though it had taken a bag of sweets to do so. In the past two weeks, Willow had managed to wrap every single one of the knights around her finger, and even Arthur couldn't resist her smile.

And as for Merlin, he felt like he hadn't stopped grinning lately. He'd been accepted by his friends, magic and all. His family was finally able to be there with him. Merlin felt like nothing could stand in his way.

In that moment, he was home.

* * *

 **Well, much shorter than the last one, but whatever. I am planning on creating more oneshots that take place in this universe. I hope you guys enjoyed this!**


	11. Not Real

**A/N: Surprise! Another Freylin oneshot.**

 **Setting: Any time after the episode Lancelot Du Lac I guess?**

 **Description: Morgana dreams about Freya and Merlin. She decides to make Merlin suffer.**

 **Disclaimer: If I owned Merlin I would have made Freylin permanent.**

* * *

" _No... no! There must be something I can do to save you."_

 _"You've already saved me. You made me feel loved."_

 _There was a boat. It was burning as it sailed out onto the lake._

Morgana shot up from her bed, gasping. She hadn't suffered from a dream in a long time. She absently fingered the bracelet on her wrist, wondering what the dream meant.

Merlin had been in it. Merlin and a girl.

"Merlin." Morgana snarled at the name. He had become troublesome for such a lowly servant. He had condemned her sister to painful death. Morgana hated the boy. She desired many things, but making Merlin suffer was one of the things she longed after most.

Suddenly, the meaning of the dream became clear to her.

If she had resurrected Lancelot, why couldn't she do the same for this girl?

Quickly, Morgana gathered what she needed. She would have to adjust the spell, of course. Merlin would not feel true pain if this was only a shadow of his love. No, this would really be the woman he loved. Memories, feelings, everything intact, just so Morgana could rip her away from Merlin again.

The high priestess was ready. She would be taking a risk going so close to Camelot, but she needed to be at the lake where Merlin had set the girl's corpse aflame. The journey took a few hours, and Morgana thought to herself as she walked along.

As she came to the shores of the lake, she prepared her spell. Chanting, Morgana performed a similar ritual to what she had down before. The water of the lake began to churn, and a girl slowly rose from the lake, her expression dazed. Finally, the spell ended, and Morgana had to resist the urge to collapse from exhaustion. The girl was staring at her hands in amazement, her eyes wide.

"I'm- I'm back?" She whispered. Morgana grinned, the satisfaction of her success giving her some of her energy back. The girl's gaze snapped up towards Morgana, and her expression hardened. "Morgana." The girl muttered. She raised her hand as if to attack the witch, but with a cry, she fell to the ground, unconscious. Morgana lowered her hand, the words of her spell still echoing across the lake. A pang of... guilt? no, not guilt. She refused to feel guilty for making Merlin suffer.

And, oh how he would suffer.

* * *

"Ow! Stop it, you prat!" A few passing servant girls giggled at the sound coming from King Arthur's chambers. The king had his manservant's arm twisted behind his back.

"That's no way to talk to your king." Arthur said, chuckling. He let Merlin's arm slip from his gasp, and the manservant turned to glare at the king. Merlin opened his mouth to retort, but was cut off by a knock on the door. "Come in." Arthur called out. He raised an eyebrow when Leon burst in, looking rather out of breath. "Sir Leon?"

"Sire," Leon began, "I bring urgent news from the patrol. It's Morgana." Merlin drew in a sharp breath, and Arthur's expression darkened.

"Then we mustn't waste any time." The meaning behind his words was clear.

They were going after Morgana.

Merlin rolled his eyes as Gwaine finished telling his horrible joke. A few of the knights smiled, and Percival gave a slight laugh, but none of them were in the right mood. Arthur suddenly held up his hand, signaling for the group to stop as he pulled her horse to a halt.

"There." The king pointed into the distance. "I saw something odd." The men peered at where he was referring to, but saw nothing.

"Are you positive, sire?" Leon asked hesitantly. Arthur shook his head, bringing a hand up to rub his eyes.

"It's possible I'm just imagining things." He muttered. The knights all brushed it off, agreeing with their king. However, Merlin was not so convinced. Nothing about this felt right. Still, they continued on, and talked quietly amongst themselves.

" _Help_!"

Elyan drew his sword immediately after hearing the shriek.

"What was that?" He asked, glancing at the other knights. The men and their horses shifted, searching for the source of the cry. Another scream echoed, and they took off after the sound, swords drawn and ready. They reached where they thought the sound had come from, only to find nothing but empty air.

"We didn't just imagine those screams." Gwaine spoke up. "So why is there nothing here?"

"Because this is a trap." Merlin murmured. He was staring wide eyed at the figures in the bushes. Men had surrounded them, weapons drawn. A cackle came from somewhere, and a woman emerged.

"Morgana." Arthur spat the word. The group turned to face her as she began to chant, her eyes flashing gold.

"Somebody stop her!" Leon cried out. But they were frozen in their tracks as Morgana kept reciting her spell. Merlin desperately looked around him, wanting to put a stop to this before someone, or all of them, died.

But before he could do anything, Merlin's world faded to darkness.

* * *

Merlin groaned, shifting on the hard surface he was laying on. Suddenly, he shot up, gasping. Memories flooded his mind as he desperately searched his surroundings for Arthur and the knights. Merlin sagged in relief when he noticed the prone form of Arthur lying in the other corner of the cell, and the other knights where scattered across the room.

"What happened?" Percival asked. He sat up, taking in the scene before him. The others were now waking up as well, and Merlin moved over next to Arthur. The king moaned, holding his head.

"Morgana happened." Gwaine's voice was angry.

"Where are we?"

"And more importantly," Arthur started, Elyan's question remaining unanswered. "Why didn't Morgana kill us?"

"Are you complaining?" Merlin asked, giving the king a quirked eyebrow as he helped him off the floor. Arthur rolled his eyes, his joints popping as he stood.

"Of course not, _Mer_ lin, I just-"

"Someone's coming." Leon hissed suddenly. True enough, the sound of clanking footsteps could be heard coming closer. The door to the dungeon rattled, and creaked open. Men filed in, each one armed. One of them stepped forward, opening the cell that contained the knights of Camelot. Merlin moved in front of Arthur, mostly out of habit. The man smiled, and reached for Merlin, much to Arthur's dismay.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" Gwaine shouted, jumping up. Morgana's lackey grinned, shoving the knight back to the ground while keeping his tight grip on Merlin.

"Don't you worry, little man," he mocked. "You're coming too." The others that had accompanied him into the dungeon surged forward, and the knights of Camelot struggled as they were dragged from the cell. With Merlin at the front, they were all marched out of the dungeon towards what would most likely be their death.

Morgana smirked as Merlin was thrown to the floor before her throne, followed by Arthur, then each of the knights.

"Hello, dear brother." Venom practically dripped from her words. "And Merlin. So good to see you." Merlin glared at the witch.

"What do you want, Morgana?" He asked, picking himself up off the floor, only to be shoved back down.

"I want to make you suffer, Merlin." Morgana sneered. "You will suffer for the pain you've caused me." Arthur couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

"Merlin?" His voice was slightly incredulous. "What could Merlin have done?" Morgana stared at him for a moment, before a harsh laugh escaped her lips.

"They don't know, do they?" Merlin blanched at her question. "Well, brother," Morgana snarled. "Merlin is the reason I'm alone. He doomed my sister to die a painful death, it's his fault!" She paused, and Merlin held his breath, hoping she wouldn't reveal more. His hopes were crushed as she opened her mouth once more. "I don't know how you mange, Merlin, but it seems you survive against all odds. I've tried to kill you a thousand times over, and you return without a scratch! You somehow managed to not kill Arthur while under my control! You survived a Serket sting!" Merlin winced at memory.

"To be fair, that one left a mark." Merlin muttered, ignoring the gaping stares he was receiving from the knights. He kept his gaze on Morgana, who was composing herself after her little speech. "So if you're going to kill me, why not get it over with?" Arthur voiced his protest, but one of Morgana's men prevented him from acting upon it.

"Oh, I plan to do just that, Merlin." Morgana said, chuckling. "But not until you after you've suffered." She turned to the knights, her stare traveling over each one. Merlin struggled as one of her men restrained him, keeping him from rushing the witch. "You would do anything for them, Merlin?" She murmured. Morgana approached Percival, running her finger along his chin. The knight jerked away, glaring daggers at her.

"Step away from them, Morgana." Merlin's voice was cold and harsh. Morgana smiled.

"Don't worry, Merlin." Her tone held a mocking quality to it. "I'm not going to kill them just yet." She waved her hand, and a man nodded, leaving the room. "After all, that would not hurt you most." She paused, as if thinking. "No, what would hurt you most is losing your love." Merlin flinched at the words. Arthur pursed his lips, questions racing through his mind. He remained silent, however, as did the other knights.

"I don't have a love. At least, not anymore." The last sentence was so quiet no one heard it.

"Pity. It seems I brought her here for nothing, then." Morgana gestured behind Merlin, who turned to see the man who had left earlier returning. He held a limp form as he walked over to Morgana, before unceremoniously dropping the body at her feet. Gwaine stared at the beautiful girl that lay at her feet. He and the knights had no memory of this girl. Yet Arthur noticed Merlin's expression. He looked like he'd seen a ghost.

"No..." the whispered word came from Merlin. "No!" He shouted, furious now. "This is a trick! It's not really her. It's not really her." Merlin repeated the phrase, as if trying to convince himself. Morgana's twisted smile grew wider as she leaned down next to the girl. "She died in my arms, Morgana!" Merlin's face was twisted with emotions. Arthur felt regret surge through him. How could he have not known about someone Merlin cared about dying? The king shoved it away, focusing on their present crisis. Morgana only watched happily as Merlin resisted the tears that were welling in his eyes.

"Perhaps it's time she wakes up?" Morgana's eyes flashed gold as she muttered a spell to awaken the girl. The girl groaned, sitting up. She shuffled back in fear when she saw Morgana leaning over her.

"Morgana, put an end to this trick!" Merlin demanded, his voice thick as he watched the girl's gaze snap to him.

"Merlin?" She whispered, only confusing the knights further. "Merlin!" She moved to embrace him, but stopped when he flinched.

"No, you're dead. Freya's dead. I watched you die. This is a trick." Merlin choked out, not wanting his hopes to be crushed. Sadness filled Freya's- no, not Freya, Merlin told himself. Sadness filled the eyes of Morgana's illusion.

"It's me, Merlin. It's really me." Fake Freya told him, trying to get Merlin to believe. Adamantly, Merlin shook his head, refusing to meet her gaze. "We'll go somewhere with mountains." Merlin tensed, and his head shot up. "Remember, Merlin? A few fields? Wildflowers and cows?" Freya's voice shook as she spoke. Merlin still said nothing. "And a lake?" Her voice cracked, and suddenly Merlin lunged forward, wrenching himself out of the man's grasp. Merlin hugged Freya tightly, his arms wrapped around her waist. Freya held onto him as he let out a choked sob.

"I missed you so much." Merlin whispered. Freya opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off by Morgana's laugh.

"A touching reunion, truly. Wouldn't you say so, brother?" Merlin turned around to see Arthur staring at him and Freya, mouth open wide in shock. The other knights wore similar expressions, and Merlin winced. This would be hard to explain.

Assuming they lived that long.

"Morgana, let them go." Merlin's pleading voice brought Morgana joy. "I'm begging you, I'll do whatever you want, just let them go." Morgana waved her hand, and two men rushed forward, and attempted to pry Merlin and Freya apart. Merlin desperately held onto Freya's hand as she cried out, not wanting to let go. However, they could not hold on for long, and they were wrenched apart from each other. "Freya!"

"I told you, Merlin, that you would suffer." Morgana held out her hand, and she was handed a sword. Merlin let out a scream of anger when she drew the edge along Freya's cheek, drawing a thin line of blood.

"Morgana, let them go!" Gwaine yelled as he struggled against his captor. Another man had to rush forward to restrain the knight. Morgana held the sword next to Freya neck as Merlin watched, horrified.

"Merlin, Merlin listen to me." Freya's voice was steady, even as tears raced down her cheeks. "Merlin, you mustn't do anything." Merlin knew she was referring to him using magic. "You have a destiny, Merlin. Don't throw it away to save me." Tears streamed down Merlin's face as Morgana raised the sword, ready to bring it down.

"No!" The unearthly scream came from Merlin. Morgana swung the sword, her target being Freya's neck. Suddenly, she froze, the blade mere inches from Freya's throat.

"What-" she didn't even get the chance to say anything else before she went flying backwards, crashing into a wall. Morgana's men rushed forward, but froze as well, before they were sent sailing backward. Arthur scrambled to his feet, and the other knights followed suit.

"Merlin?" Arthur said, staring at his friend. Merlin glanced back at the king, his expression hard, and a gasp escaped the knights lips. But the coldness in his face wasn't what made the knights gasp. It was Merlin's gold eyes.

"Mate, are you alright?" Gwaine carefully approached his friend. Merlin ignored the man, and faced Morgana, who was getting up. She stared at Merlin, shock creeping into her expression.

"How?" She shrieked. "How did you do that? No sorcerer can cast a spell that complicated without speaking!" Merlin smiled darkly.

"Well then it's a good thing I'm no mere sorcerer." Morgana's eyes widened as she was choked by an unseen force, her hands flying to her throat. "Do you know what I've suffered, Morgana? You claim to know pain, but you do not truly know the meaning of the word. I've watched my kind die at the hands of first Uther, then Arthur. My best friend died while I stood and watched as he took the blame for my magic. I've watched the love of my life be killed by the very man I'm destined to protect!" Arthur sucked in a breath, his eyes darting to Freya, who watched with a horrified expression. "My father died in my own arms, and I was forced to bury my grief away because of who he was! And you say you know pain?!" Morgana thrashed about, choking sounds emitting from her throat. "Because of you, Arthur will hate me! I had to reveal myself in front of him, and now he will most likely sentence me to death." Regret tinged Merlin's voice, and Gwaine gave Arthur a dirty look.

Arthur shook his head. He needed to put a stop to this.

"'Merlin, listen to me." Merlin whirled around to face the king, while Morgana fell limply to the floor. "Merlin, I swear, I would never hurt you." In truth, Arthur was angry at his manservant for keeping this a secret. But he would deal with that later, when Merlin wasn't behaving like a deranged, grief driven man.

"Why not? I'm a monster." Merlin's eyes faded back to blue, tears filling them as he spoke. Freya stepped forward, placing a gentle hand on her love's arm. He jumped in surprise, pulling away. "I don't want to hurt you." He whispered when she looked at him questioningly.

"Oh, Merlin." She gently placed her hands on his shoulders. "You could never hurt me. But..." Freya paused. "Why did you reveal your magic?" Merlin smiled sadly.

"I couldn't lose you again." Gwaine suddenly cleared his throat, stepping forward. Instinctively, Merlin out an arm out in front of Freya, but slowly lowered it. Gwaine gave her a soft smile, reaching out for her hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, my lady." Freya giggled as he kissed her hand, and Merlin allowed himself a small smile. "I am Gwaine. _Sir_ Gwaine of Camelot." Elyan smirked, and clapped him on the back before looking at Freya.

"Ignore him. He just wants to inflate his ego." Freya nodded in mock seriousness at Elyan's words. Percival and Leon also moved to introduce themselves; though when Percival came close, Freya tensed at the sight of the towering knight. Arthur remained further back, his mind still reeling.

"Wait." Merlin spoke up. "What happened to Morgana?" They all turned to where she had been just a moment before. Gwaine groaned loudly.

"Great. Now we'll have to track her down again." He said bitterly.

"It shouldn't be too hard." Leon grinned at Merlin as he talked. "After all, Merlin certainly did a number on her." Merlin winced. He turned to the king, who was still standing there with a dark expression on his face.

"Arthur," Merlin swallowed when his voice cracked. "I'm sorry. If you want to banish me, I understand. I didn't want to keep it from you, it's just your father would have killed me, and I just got carried away with all the secrets, and-"

"Merlin." Arthur cut him off.

"Yes sire?"

"You're babbling again." A relived smile crossed Merlin's face. "But, I want a complete explanation once we get back to Camelot. You will tell me everything."

And with Freya's hand in his, Merlin headed home.

* * *

 **Ugh that ending was so crappy but I got rushed. Sorry**


	12. Vengeance

**A/N: sup.**

 **Setting: Um? Just after Arthur becomes king I guess. (So Gwen still is only a servant.)**

 **Description: When a sorceress accidentally brings the knights to her home, she reveals something that makes Merlin very angry.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin or its characters**.

* * *

Merlin chatted with Gwen while Arthur and the knights bashed each other's heads in on the training yard. The two winced when Elyan went down, knocked over by Gwaine. The two laughed, and Gwaine moved to help his fellow knight up off the ground.

"You alright mate?" Gwaine asked as Elyan brushed the dirt off his armor. Elyan nodded, giving him a smile.

"I never really understood the point of knocking each other senseless." Gwen muttered, shaking her head as Gwaine and Elyan went at it again.

"That's because there isn't one." Merlin shot back, making her giggle. Arthur glared, having heard the comment.

"Merlin!"

"Yes sire?"

"Come over here." Merlin groaned, making Gwen laugh again. The servant walked over to Arthur, who handed him a shield. Merlin held it up, examining it.

"What's this for?" He asked.

"It's so you don't get killed." Arthur replied, smirking. Merlin's eyes widened, and he held up the shield just in time to block a sword swing from the king. Gwen winced every time Arthur hit the shield. After only a moment, Merlin fell to the ground from a particularly hard blow. "Not bad. You lasted twice as long as last time." Arthur pointed out.

"So last time was only two seconds?" Elyan spoke up from the sidelines, where most of the men had gathered to watch. Arthur humiliating Merlin was the most entertainment they usually would get. Laughter rippled among the couple of knights.

"Sire?" Percival's voice broke in, and they all turned to look at him. The large knight was pointing at a cloaked figure leaving Camelot. Arthur glanced at the figure, then questioningly at Percival. "I could have sworn I saw them use magic." Percival muttered. Merlin's eyes widened. Who would be stupid enough to use magic inside of Camelot? "Whoever it was just had an apple fly into their hand on its own." Arthur tensed for a moment, before relaxing.

"Well, if they did no harm, we won't bother." Arthur said, receiving some curious looks from the knights. "Besides, they are leaving."

"Sire!" Leon rushed forward. Merlin noticed the way he was breathing. He'd clearly just been running.

"Sir Leon." Arthur nodded his head in acknowledgment. "Is something wrong?"

"Sire, someone from the lower town claimed that a sorcerer attacked them." Merlin sighed when Leon finished explaining. "And the sorcerer was last seen leaving through the east gate." A few groans came from the knights.

"That's the one we just saw." Arthur mumbled to himself. "Merlin! Get my horse ready. We're going after this sorcerer." Merlin nodded, before rushing off. "Gwaine, Leon, you shall join me." The two knights bowed, before leaving to gather their own horses.

"Here!" Gwaine called out. Arthur and Leon urged their horses towards where he was pointing. "There's footprints. Still fresh." Arthur nodded, guiding his horse in the direction the prints led.

"Hurry up, Merlin!" The king called back to his servant, who was having a hard time getting his horse to listen.

"Sorry sire!" Merlin replied, not sounding sorry at all. "But I'm afraid my horse is even worse at listening than you are." Gwaine laughed, and Leon did his best to hide his growing smile.

"I could have you thrown in the stocks, Merlin."

"Looking forward to it, sire. Maybe-" Merlin was cut off by Arthur raising his hand. The king's stare was trained on a cave that lay just in the distance.

"I saw something." He muttered. "A movement in the cave."

"It could just be an animal." Leon pointed out.

"I say we check it out." Gwaine suggested. "Maybe if it's an animal, we can kill it." Merlin raised an eyebrow at the knight. "What? I'm bored." Arthur rolled his eyes, and the group sent their horses into a trot.

After a few moments of riding, they came to the mouth of the cave. They dismounted their horses, and the knights drew their swords. Merlin followed closely behind Arthur, nearly jumping out of his skin every time he heard something.

"Don't be such a girl, Merlin." Arthur muttered, watching as Merlin jumped in surprise for the fourth time. Merlin glared at him, and opened his mouth to retort. Suddenly, Merlin's features twisted in concentration. He glanced at Leon, who had the same expression on his face.

"Do you hear that?" Leon asked quietly. Someone was chanting just further in the cave. Arthur nodded, raising his sword. The group moved forward carefully as the chanting grew louder. Light flickered on the stone walls from a fire. The voice became clearer, the source clearly a woman. Then, as suddenly as it began, the chanting stopped, and the woman came into view. She glared fiercely at the group from Camelot.

"You dare trespass in my home?" Her voice was grating on the ears as she shrieked the question. With a wave of her hand and a muttered word, rocks fell behind them, sealing the men in. Merlin tensed as the woman pulled back her hood, revealing a wrinkled face.

"Are you the sorcerer that attacked someone in Camelot?" Gwaine spoke up first, regaining his wits.

The woman grinned cruelly. "That would be me." Her voice held no remorse.

"You nearly killed someone." Arthur said, stepping towards the woman. Her eyes flashed gold as she said a spell, and the king froze in his tracks, unable to move.

"So?" The sorceress asked, moving towards Arthur. She patted his cheek, chuckling to herself. "That wretch deserved it. Just be glad I didn't place the curse on her." Merlin raised an eyebrow.

"Curse?" Arthur shot him a glare for speaking up, but said nothing. "What curse?" The woman smiled, as if pleased with his curiosity.

"It's a powerful curse, one that dooms the person to kill forever more." Merlin felt his breath hitch, and the reaction drew an odd look from Gwaine. Arthur was still frozen next to the woman, but even he noticed the change in his servant's demeanor. "I have used it before. On a foolish girl," she spat the word. "Who killed my son."

"You." Merlin's entire mood turned dark in an instant, the expression on his face making the others recoil. "It's your fault." His voice boomed unnaturally, making the sorceress step back in surprise.

"What are you talking about, boy?"

"Merlin?" Gwaine said gently. Merlin ignored him, his gaze trained on the woman. Arthur struggled to move, and suddenly dropped to the ground, freed from the spell. The woman sputtered, as if Arthur wasn't supposed to be free. As the king scrambled back to his knights, she turned to stare at Merlin.

"How did you do that?!" She demanded. Merlin didn't answer her question.

"You cursed Freya." He stated, his voice cold. Arthur, Leon, and Gwaine gaped at the pure malice in his tone. The woman forced the fear down, smirking.

"Was that her name?" She waved her hand dismissively. "I heard she attacked Camelot not too long ago." That was the wrong thing to say. Power seemed to radiate around Merlin.

"It's your fault the love of my life is dead!" Merlin roared. Literally roared.

"Love of his life?" Arthur muttered. One glance at Leon and Gwaine said they were just as confused as he was. The sorceress shook in terror, but still refused to back down.

"I heard Prince Arthur is the one who dealt the mortal blow." Guilt washed through Arthur. Merlin had loved someone, and he'd killed her.

"She wouldn't have been a beast if you hadn't cursed her!" It came back to Arthur now. The Bastet. When he had cornered the Druid girl she'd been afraid; and before turning into the giant cat, she'd warned the men. "It's your fault Freya was taken from me!" Merlin stepped towards the woman, as did the knights of Camelot. Feeling threatened, the woman began to chant. A ball of flames formed in her hand, and with all her might, she sent it hurtling at Merlin. Arthur barely had the chance to yell out his servant's- friend's name before the fire struck him. They stared in horror, expecting Merlin to collapse.

But Merlin stood there, the flames flickering in his hand.

He had caught the fire.

Merlin had magic.

With an angry shriek, the woman began to chant again, aiming her spell at Merlin. The warlock never gave her a chance to finish. Instead, her hurled her own ball of fire back at her, the flames striking her square in the chest. The sorceress gasped and sputtered, standing in shock for a moment. When she fell limply to the ground, Merlin had an unnaturally cruel smirk on his face.

"Merlin? Mate, are you alright?" Gwaine asked quietly. The smirk fell as Merlin turned to stare in horror at the audience before him. Now that the imminent danger was gone, the weight of what he just revealed came crashing down on him.

"Arthur, I-" he began, his voice choked. Arthur's expression was stony, the betrayal evident in his eyes.

"Sorcerer." The king spat, pointing his sword at Merlin. Merlin winced as Arthur pressed the blade against his neck. Gwaine moved forward, his own sword held high. But it was not directed towards Merlin; instead it was threatening Arthur.

"Princess," Gwaine began, trying to calm the king, or at least turn his anger away from Merlin. "Think about what you're doing. Merlin just saved us." Leon stood off to the side, unsure of what to do. Merlin swallowed, the sword still up against his neck. Suddenly, movement from the sorceress made focus his attention away from Arthur. The king remained oblivious, while Gwaine still tried to talk him down. The woman chanted, and a burst of energy came from her hands.

Energy directed right at Arthur.

"Look out!" Merlin cried, lunging forward. Arthur jerked away in surprise, trying to keep Merlin from impaling himself on the sword. But the king was too slow. The sword dragged its way across Merlin side, opening a deep gash. Still, Merlin somehow managed to push Arthur to the ground, out of the way of the spell.

But he didn't get himself out of the way.

A small smile was on the sorceress' lips as she collapsed once more, dead.

"Merlin!" Arthur yelled. The warlock was standing there, his mouth open in shock.

Then he fell. Arthur rushed towards him, barely catching Merlin before he hit the ground. Merlin groaned, his hand going to the crimson stain on his shirt. He smiled grimly at Arthur, the light already fading from his eyes.

"No! Merlin!" The king cried out as the breath left Merlin's body. Gwaine let out a scream of rage, throwing his sword at the wall. Merlin's blank blue eyes stared at the cave ceiling. Arthur felt his throat tighten."I'm so sorry." Tears welled in his eyes. "I was a fool, Merlin, I'm so sorry." Leon walked towards his king, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. They sat there in silence for a moment, the sound of Arthur's choked breaths being the only thing they could hear.

The men were so absorbed in their grief, they didn't noticed a glimmer of light in front of them. The light grew brighter, and they were forced to notice it this time. Arthur had to cover his eyes as the ought became blinding. The light faded, and in its place stood a girl.

"Who are you?" Gwaine croaked, squinting at her.

"Freya. I'm here to help him." She merely smiled at the knight, offering no other explanation, before kneeling next to Merlin. Arthur pulled Merlin back when she reached out for him, but she firmly grabbed hold of Merlin's hand. With sadness in her eyes, she ran her hand over the wound, her eyes flashing gold. The wound began to close, and Arthur felt himself daring to hope.

It was silent for a moment as they stared expectantly at Merlin. Suddenly, he shot up, gasping for air. The girl- Freya smiled, before fading into thin air, making Arthur stare in shock. However, the sound of Merlin breathing made him snap back into reality, and he let out a relieved laugh.

"Arthur-" the king cut Merlin off by pulling him into a hug.

"I'm so sorry, Merlin." He whispered. Merlin sat stunned for a moment, before smiling.

"I forgive you, you prat."

* * *

 **Soooo once again it sucked. It's really late at night, and I didn't feel like making this any longer, so that's why it's so jumpy. Please vote anyway. (Also because Merlin killed the woman who cursed Freya she got to come back just to heal him.)**

 **-InkFanatic**


	13. How?

**A/N: Another Freya comes back from the dead and Merlin thinks it's a trick.**

 **Don't like? Put it in the complaint box. "Where's the complaint box?" You ask.**

 **There isn't one.**

 **Suffer in silence.**

 **Setting: Post series four finale**

 **Description: Arthur, Merlin and the knights are out on a hunting trip (honestly they shouldn't go hunting anymore) to get their minds off things. Also it's kinda short so sorry.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin but I am willing to march on those that do and demand that they take back the series five finale ending.**

* * *

Merlin sighed, gathering up the used bowls as Arthur made a joke about his manservant's clumsiness. Gwaine sat next to the king, a grin on his face. Percival and Elyan were on the opposite side of the campfire, laughing at a joke. Leon sat by himself, watching the flames flicker.

"I still don't know how you manage to trip every time we got near an animal, Merlin." Arthur said as Merlin picked up his bowl.

"I didn't trip every time." Merlin pointed out indignantly. Gwaine chuckled, elbowing Arthur's arm jokingly.

"No, let's not forget the time that you sneezed!" He said, making Merlin turn slightly red. Even Leon laughed this time, and Merlin turned away, his arms full of dishes. Suddenly, the laughter stopped.

"Who are you?" Elyan spoke up. Merlin whirled around to find all the knights staring at a girl. She was standing there, wearing an oddly familiar burgundy dress. Her brown eyes were filled with sorrow as she stared at the knights, but then her gaze settled on Merlin.

The bowls fell the ground with a loud clatter.

The knights all jumped in surprise, staring at Merlin, who was staring coldly at the girl. The girl stepped forward, but thought better when she noticed the expression on Merlin's face, along with the knights reaching towards their swords. Merlin continued to stare at the girl, his normally kind blue eyes hard.

"Who. Are. You?" His voice was hard. Arthur furrowed his eyebrows, but turned back to the girl.

"Yes, I would like to know that as well." He said.

"Whoever she is, she's lovely." Percival rolled his eyes at Gwaine's comment, and the mood lightened slightly. But it quickly shifted back to a dark one when the sound of Arthur's sword being drawn could be heard. Yet, Arthur wasn't the one holding the weapon.

It was Merlin.

He stepped forward, sword pointed at the girl threateningly.

"Merlin," Leon started. "She hasn't done anything wrong." Merlin ignored the knight, keeping his gaze trained on the girl.

"Who are you?" Merlin repeated. "Did Morgana send you? Is this supposed to be some kind of cruel trick? How dare she use you- her against me." His voice was nothing short of a snarl, a sound that sent shivers down the spines of the knights. They had never seen Merlin like this.

"What would Morgana have to do with this?" Elyan muttered, receiving no answers. The girl stared pleadingly at Merlin.

"Merlin, listen to me." The fact that she knew Merlin made the knights gape in shock. "Merlin, it's really me."

"No!" Merlin choked out. "No, it's not!" He pressed the blade against her neck, his hands shaking. He couldn't let himself have false hope, he couldn't let himself lose her again.

"Merlin, what's going on?" Arthur asked, concerned.

"Merlin, Morgana didn't send me. It's really me." The girl pleaded, and a few tears fell down Merlin's face.

"The Freya I knew and loved died in my arms!" Arthur sucked in a breath, glancing at Gwaine in confusion. The knight seemed just as shocked. "You can't be her!" Merlin was trembling. The girl- Freya was silent for a moment.

"I want that more than anything." She whispered, and Merlin let out a strangled gasp. "Where would we go?" The sword fell to the ground.

"Somewhere with mountains." His voice was thick with emotion, but it held a small sense of hope.

"A few fields."

"Wildflowers."

"A couple of cows."

"And a lake." Merlin finished.

"And a lake." Freya repeated. She lunged at Merlin, enveloping him in a hug. Merlin held tight onto her, before pulling back to stare at her face. Merlin placed a soft kiss on her lips, and she returned it eagerly.

"How?" Merlin croaked after they had broke apart.

"I'll tell you everything." She promised, before glancing over his shoulder at the gaping men. "When we're alone." Gwaine was the first to shake himself out of his shock, and he walked up to the two. Merlin wrapped an arm around Freya's waist as the knight grasped Freya's hand, kissing it.

"My name is Sir Gwaine." He said with a grin.

"Freya." She replied, unfazed. Gwaine's smile grew wider as he faced Merlin.

"I don't suppose you'd share?" Merlin turned red at the comment as Freya giggled.

"Gwaine!"

"Alright, alright." Gwaine raised his hands in mock surrender, shooting a wink at Freya. The knight glanced at Arthur, who was still trying wrap his mind around what had happened. "If you don't close your mouth, princess, you're going to catch flies." Arthur snapped back into focus, blinking rapidly.

"Arthur," Merlin began nervously. "I'll tell you whatever you want to know, just ask." The king opened his mouth. He had a million questions, the most important ones being:

 _If she was dead, how is she here now?_

 _Why didn't you tell me your love died?_

 _What killed her?_

But none of those came out. Instead, Arthur blurted out, "How did you end up with someone so- so beautiful?!"


	14. Soul Mark

**A/N: A sort of Soulmate AU I guess? Also it's kinda short so beware.**

 **Setting: There really ain't one. Any time after 2x09/ Arthur's coronation**

 **Description: Everyone has a soul mark. Whether a shape or a name, they have one. Arthur, Gwen, and the knights want to know what Merlin's is.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own this beautiful franchise**

* * *

Soul Marks. They were the one magic that Uther could never outlaw, no matter how much he wanted to. Everyone had one, save for the few poor, unfortunate souls that were born without it. A few would have names, etched in gold somewhere on their body.

Most had symbols, representing who their soulmate was.

No life is without sadness, however. If you had a symbol, and your soulmate died, the mark would take on the appearance of a brand, seared into your skin forever.

With a name, if your soulmate died before you met them, the name would fade to red. If you had met your soulmate, and had the misfortune of having them ripped from you, the name would fade to a dark, horrible black.

"Come on, princess!" Gwaine hollered, settling down on the other side of the campfire. "What's your soul mark?" Arthur rolled his eyes, and ignored the knight.

"It's a purple crown." Merlin stated triumphantly, receiving a glare from the king.

"How do you know?" Elyan asked, directing his question at Merlin.

Merlin grinned. "I dress him every day. It's hard to miss it." Chuckles rippled through the group at Arthur's discomfort.

Gwaine turned to one of the other knights, curious. "What do you have, Percy?" The large knight shrugged in resignation, before pulling off his boot. On his ankle, there was a small sun that spiraled across his skin. Gwaine turned an expectant look towards Leon, and the man sighed, knowing what he was going to ask.

"I've actually already met her." Leon started slowly, rolling up his sleeves. An intricate rose was there, its bright red petals contrasting against his skin. "And no, Gwaine," he said at the look on the knight's face. "I'm not telling you about her." Gwaine gave a disappointed sigh, before giving Elyan a pointed look.

Elyan chuckled, shaking his head. "That's something you'll have to figure out yourself someday." He said with a smile. Gwaine booed loudly, but Elyan remained unfazed.

"What about you, Gwaine?" Percival spoke up.

"Yes, Gwaine. You see, so adamant to find out about ours." Arthur couldn't hide the grin on his face. "Why don't you tell us about your mark?" The cheerful expression on Gwaine's face faltered for a moment.

"I would if I could." His voice was quiet, and the knights realized what he meant. He was born without a mark. But Gwaine smiled, shrugging. "I don't mind anymore. Besides," he elbowed Percival jokingly. "I can explore my options this way." The jovial mood was back. Merlin smiled at the jokes they were shooting back and forth, and stoked the fire.

"You know, Merlin," Arthur said, leaning forward. "You haven't shown us yours yet." Merlin stiffened, before forcing a smile on his face.

"Now why would I do that, sire?" His tone was light and happy, but it didn't seem real.

"Come on, mate." Gwaine was standing next to him now, and he clapped Merlin on the back. Merlin shook his head, crouching back down by the fire. The knights noted he looked uncomfortable.

"If you're markless Merlin, there's nothing to be ashamed of." Leon attempted at being reassuring, not realizing he only made it worse. Merlin shook his head, poking at the flames.

"I'm not markless." Merlin mumbled, regretting the words when they left his mouth. He should have let them think he was markless so they would leave him alone.

"Then show us!" Arthur still had a smile, not noticing his manservant's obvious discomfort at the subject. "Merlin, I am your king. Would you really refuse your king?"

"Have I ever really listened, sire?" Merlin said with a forced chuckle. He paused, playing with the hem of his scarf. "If I tell you what it is, will you leave me alone?" A few reluctant nods made him relax slightly. "It's a name. On my neck." Merlin hadn't meant to let them know where it was, but it slipped out before he could catch it.

"See, Merlin?" Gwaine placed his arm around Merlin's shoulders, an odd grin on his face. Arthur winced. He knew that grin. "That wasn't so hard." Suddenly, Gwaine grabbed and Merlin's scarf, and pulled. The scarf came off, revealing Merlin's mark, clear as day on the base of his neck. Gwaine sucked in a breath, regretting his actions.

"Happy now?" Merlin's voice was bitter s he snatched the scarf away from the knight, glaring. Percival and Elyan winced sympathetically, while Leon grimaced.

"Mate, I'm sorry. I didn't know-"

"That was the idea." Merlin snapped at Gwaine, who seemed taken aback. Merlin turned around, giving Arthur a clear view of the mark that sat there. A name, in beautiful font on the back of his manservant's neck. A name, that was etched in a deep, dark black ink.

 _Freya_.


	15. Flowers

**A/N: Meh more angst and cause why not. (Ps: kinda short)**

 **Setting: Between series 2 and 3**

 **Description: In which Merlin is caught taking some flowers and Arthur demands to meet whoever they're for but Merlin doesn't know how to say he's taking them to a grave**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin or it's beautiful characters. Just this horrible plot.**

* * *

Merlin hummed quietly to himself, picking another flower from the ground. He inspected it, before nodding in approval. After adding it to his current pile, Merlin sighed. He needed to hurry before Arthur needed him again.

Arthur watched as Merlin picked flowers, creating a fairly nice bouquet. He stood far back enough that Merlin couldn't see him, and stared as Merlin walked out of Camelot.

" _What_ is he doing?" He muttered to himself. Carefully, Arthur followed, making sure to stay out of Merlin's sight. Arthur tromped through the woods after Merlin for several minutes, nearly losing his manservant twice in the process. After ten minuets of walking, Arthur was nearly ready to give up.

Suddenly, Merlin stopped in his tracks, slowly turning around.

"Who's there?" The manservant called out, his hand up. Arthur rolled his eyes, scoffing.

"What do you think you're going to do, _Mer_ lin?" Merlin nearly jumped in surprise at Arthur's loud voice. He lowered his hand, glaring as Arthur closed the distance between them.

"Well, wouldn't you like to know?" Merlin murmured angrily. Arthur either didn't hear it, or chose to ignore it.

"So, Merlin," Arthur eyed the flowers in his hands. "Who are you taking those to?" Merlin glanced down, as if just now realizing what he was holding.

"Ah. Those." His brain scrambled for an excuse. "No one, sire. Well, not 'no one' but it's not what you think. Just an old patient of Gaius's, and this is a get well present." Arthur quirked an eyebrow, not buying the excuse.

"Yes, well, I'd like to meet this... _patient_." Arthur had a smirk on his lips. Merlin grimaced.

He wasn't going to get out of his one.

Resigned to his fate, Merlin motioned for Arthur to follow him as he continued his trek through the woods.

"So what's she like?" Arthur couldn't stand the silence any longer,

"Beautiful. Kind. Selfless." Merlin spoke earnestly. He managed to keep the quiver out of his voice as he began to describe Freya. "She has the most beautiful brown eyes, I feel like I could get lost in them." Arthur chuckled, breaking Merlin out of his trance.

"I am truly happy for you. She sounds special." Merlin nodded, hiding the pain in his eyes.

"She is." Merlin suddenly stopped, gesturing to the lake next to them. "We're here." Arthur furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. He had been expecting a house. Instead, Merlin walked to the shores, before settling down on the sand. Arthur stood back, watching curiously. "Hey, Freya." Merlin said softly. He played with the bouquet in his hand, glancing nervously at Arthur. "I miss you." Arthur sucked in a breath, feeling like an idiot.

This wasn't an ordinary visit.

This was a grave.

"I brought you some flowers. I wanted to bring some strawberries, but I didn't get the chance." Merlin gently placed the flowers at the edge of the water, before letting out a sigh.

Arthur wanted to kick himself. He had insisted on coming, and instead was intruding on Merlin's private life. Quietly, he walked over to Merlin, sitting down next to him.

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault." Merlin's voice cracked, and Arthur couldn't help but like the words had a deeper meaning.

"She was lucky to have you." Arthur went silent after he said that. The two stared out at the peaceful lake, neither of them speaking.

It was the least Arthur could do for his friend.


	16. Love's Power

**A/N: Angst. Yay. This ones not my best, so sorry.**

 **Setting: Right after the episode "Lamia" .**

 **Description: Turns out there's more than one reason Merlin didn't fall under the Lamia's spell.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin or its characters**

* * *

The ride back to Camelot had been silent so far. The after effects of the Lamia left the knights feeling guilty and ashamed. They should have listened to Merlin and Gwen. Yet none of them had found a way to apologize properly.

"There's something I'm wondering." Gwaine piped up, unable to stand the silence any longer. "I understand why Gwen wasn't affected by the Lamia." Arthur turned to stare at the knight, raising an eyebrow.

"But?" Percival asked.

"Why didn't Merlin fall under the spell?" Gwaine finished. All eyes turned to Merlin, wanting an answer.

"Yes, Merlin. Why didn't you?" Arthur's tone was suspicious. Merlin paled, then forced a smile on his face.

"Maybe it's because I'm smarter than the lot of you." He said, grinning at the groans of protest from the knights. Gwen couldn't help but let out a quiet laugh at her friend's words. Merlin felt relieved, and hoped that they would drop it.

But Arthur wanted a real answer.

"Come on, Merlin." He taunted. "Tell us the real reason." Merlin's joking expression faltered as he scrambled for an excuse. He simply shrugged, refusing to say anything else. Arthur grimaced.

Fine. He would get the answers himself.

* * *

"Gaius, we need you to tell us something." Arthur, Guinevere, and the knights were all crowded in the physician's work room. Gaius raised an eyebrow at the king's statement.

"Of course, sire. What is it you need?" The physician turned back to his work of mixing up potions.

"About the Lamia..." Arthur began hesitantly.

"What would it take to resist its spell?" Gwaine broke in, impatient. Gaius faced the group, furrowing his brow.

"Why? There's not another one, is there?" Worry crept into the physician's tone. Gwen shook her head, reassuring him.

"No, we only want to know why-"

"We only want to know in case we ever come across one in the future." Arthur cut in, receiving a glare from Gwen. Gaius looked between the two, before walking over to pick up a book.

"Well," he said, flipping through it. "There are multiple ways to not fall under its spell, but most of which require magic." Arthur stiffened.

Merlin couldn't have magic, could he? He wouldn't betray Camelot like that, betray Arthur. Never.

"What other ways are there?" Leon interrupted the king's thoughts.

"The only non-magical way is by being truly in love with someone." Gaius stated, not looking up from the book. But if he had looked up, he would have seen the incredulous expressions of the faces of the people before him.

Leon, Elyan, and Percival both had every possibility of who it was running through their minds. They thought of every servant girl in the castle, ruling them out, one by one.

Gwen nearly squealed in excitement. Merlin was in love! She was going to get every detail about it as soon as she could.

Gwaine felt slightly hurt. Merlin had a special someone, and had never told him about it. But the knight also felt glad for his friend. Merlin deserved to have someone to love.

Arthur just felt plain shocked. How could Merlin of all people have a love? Clumsy, idiotic, foolish, bumbling- now he was just repeating himself. But, come on, it was Merlin!

"Is that all you needed, Sire?" Gaius spoke up, breaking the trance they all seemed to be in.

"I- yes, of course." Arthur cleared his throat, motioning for the others to follow him out of the room. "Thank you, Gaius."

Leon, Percival, and Elyan had excused themselves. They had said they needed to go to the training yard. Arthur watched as they departed, before turning to Gwaine.

"Don't you need to go with them?" He asked, and the knight gave a noncommittal grunt.

"I'd rather stay with you and find Merlin." Arthur rolled his eyes at the statement, and Gwen smiled. "Where is Merlin, anyway?"

"Well, he's supposed to be in my chambers polishing my armor. Assuming he didn't sneak off to the tavern, again." Arthur said dryly. The words earned him a confused look from Gwaine.

"I've never seen Merlin at the tavern."

"Well then, where is he when he's supposed to be doing his chores?" Arthur demanded. Gwen gave him a knowing smile.

"Perhaps he's been visiting this secret love of his." Arthur had to admit, her words made sense.

"If he wanted time off, he should have just asked." The king grumbled as they walked towards his chambers. The three fell silent, and only a few moments after, they had made it to their destination.

Arthur swung the door open, making Merlin jump in surprise. The manservant was so shocked at the sudden intrusion that he dropped the brush he had been using to polish the king's armor.

"Merlin!" Arthur said in a sugar sweet voice. "We know your little secret now." Merlin blanched, and he fumbled for words.

"I- I- what secret?" He asked. Gwaine grinned, stepping forward to pat Merlin on the back.

"Why, your secret love, of course!" Merlin seemed to relax at the words, before picking up the brush. He sat back down, and continued to work on Arthur's armor.

"I don't have a secret love."

"Well, you must!" Gwen protested. "Gaius said that in order to resist the Lamia's spell, you have to be truly in love with someone." Merlin flinched, not looking up from his work.

"Come on, Merlin. You can tell us!" Arthur prodded his manservant, and Gwen winced at the expression in his face. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

"You don't have to." She said softly, and Merlin sent her a grateful smile. Arthur shook his head, pulling out a chair for him to sit on.

"Of course he does!" A grin was on the king's lips while he remained oblivious to Merlin's clear discomfort. "After all, we need to send Gaius to check up on her. She came be in her right mind if she would fall in love with Merlin. Maybe something's wrong with her-" Merlin shot up out of his chair, glaring daggers at the king.

"What would you know?!" The tone of his voice took the others aback. Merlin's expression softened when he realized he had shouted the words, and he sank back down in his chair. "Sorry." He mumbled.

"It's alright. Arthur should not have insulted her like that." Gwen's voice was stern as she stared at Arthur. "Right, Arthur?"

"Yes, I'm sorry." Arthur muttered, not withstanding Gwen's stare.

"Are you alright, mate?" Gwaine sounded concerned. Arthur pursed his lips, watching his manservant slowly nod.

"If you don't want to tell us-"

"You know you won't leave me alone until I do." Merlin pointed out, sounding resigned. Arthur wanted to protest, but thought better of it.

In truth, Merlin was right. Not that he would ever say it out loud.

"Freya." Merlin muttered, then repeated it again, stronger. "Freya. She loves lakes, and strawberries, mountains and wildflowers. She would never hurt anyone. She has the kindest soul I've ever seen, and she's selfless beyond measure." Gwen smiled at the way Merlin seemed to light up as he spoke about her.

"She sounds like a special woman." Gwaine spoke up. Merlin nodded, and his expression turned mournful.

"She was." The two words broke Gwen's heart. Arthur gripped the chair, shocked at the pure anguish in Merlin's tone.

"What happened?" Arthur demanded, earning another glare from Gwen. Merlin looked back down at the armor in an attempt to hide the tears welling up in his eyes.

"It doesn't matter."

"I think it does!" Arthur protested, slamming a hand on the table. Merlin jumped at the sound, but still kept his head down.

"She... she was killed." Merlin's voice cracked. Gwen put a hand to her lips to muffle the gasp that came from them.

"Was her killer caught?" Gwaine looked like he was ready to hit something as he spoke. "Because if not, I will hunt them down myself, and-"

"Gwaine, it's alright." Merlin interrupted. Gwaine wanted to say otherwise. "And, to answer your question, the killer wasn't caught. But it's fine." He hurriedly said when he noticed he look on his friend's faces. "He didn't mean to. He didn't understand what he was doing, and I've forgiven him." Arthur was once again, shocked. That seemed to be happening a lot today.

How could Merlin forgive the man that killed his love? If someone killed Guinevere, even on accident- Arthur growled at the thought.

"Can you tell us what happened?" Gwen asked quietly. Merlin sighed, rubbing a hand over his eyes.

"She was cursed. When she was younger, a man attacked her, and she killed him in self defense. The man's mother was a sorceress, and she cursed her to kill forever more." Merlin's breath hitched, and he paused to calm himself. "At night she turned into a beast, and she didn't have control over her actions. She..." He glanced up at Arthur. "She attacked a town, and Ar- a knight stabbed her to defend the people." Luckily, the others seemed not to notice the slip. "I managed to get her out of there, and I took her someplace that she could die happy."

"She died in your arms." Gwaine muttered, putting the pieces together. Merlin nodded. Arthur thought for a moment, and horror filled him as a sudden thought came to his mind.

"Did I kill her?" The question was whispered, yet it seemed to echo in the room. Merlin's head shot up to stare at the king. He opened his mouth, then closed it, looking away. "Merlin."

"No- no, of course not. Why would you think that?"

"Because you started to say a name that sounded a lot like mine." Merlin slumped in defeat. "So, I'll ask you again. Did I kill her?" Wordlessly, Merlin nodded. If Arthur had been standing, he would have fallen over. Guilt settled in his gut like a cold rock as he stared at the sorrowful expression on Merlin's face. "How can you not hate me?" Merlin smiled sadly, Kilgarrah's words coming back to him.

A half cannot hate that which makes it whole.

"Because you didn't know. And because you are my friend." Gwen pulled Merlin into a hug before he could even finish speaking, motioning for Arthur to do the same.

Arthur complied without complaint.

* * *

Arthur stared out at the water before him. The setting sun shone brightly upon the waters, the mountains in the distance providing a breathtaking view. Carefully, Arthur set the flowers he had brought down on the shore.

"I'm sorry." The king whispered.

He could have sworn the lake rippled in response.


	17. Things Not Said

**A/N: More angst. Drabble.**

 **Setting: None.**

 **Description: Merlin comes to a horrifying realization.**

 **Disclaimer: IDOM**

* * *

Gaius sighed as he walked back towards his chambers.

Merlin was still grieving over his lost love. Briefly, Gaius felt a flash of guilt, and images of Alice surfaced in his mind. Not a moment went by when Gaius didn't regret what he did, which in turn, caused Merlin's suffering.

The physician opened the door, noticing Merlin right away. The boy was staring blankly off into space. He turned to his mentor after a moment and spoke, his voice hollow.

"I never said 'I love you.'"


	18. Secret Siblings

**A/N: Angst and** ** _past_** **Freylin. My favorite.**

 **Setting: In between series 4 and 5.**

 **Description: After a long day of hunting, the knights are talking about their families. Turns out, Percival has some connections Merlin wished he knew about sooner.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin or it's characters.**

"Why did I have to have such bad luck in the family department?" Arthur complained. The knights were gathered around a campfire, the flames casting shadows throw the dark woods.

Three days ago, rumors about Morgana had surfaced in Annis's kingdom. Arthur wanted to investigate the rumors himself, so he got his most trusted knights together. They had left the next day, and of course they had brought Merlin along.

"Personally, I find all Pendragons repulsive." Merlin spoke up from his spot, a slight smirk on his lips. Arthur glared at him, and the next thing Merlin knew, an empty bowl was flying towards his face. The manservant dodged it with ease, a full grin now spreading.

"You're not the only one with a terrible sister, princess." Arthur rolled his eyes at Gwaine's use of the nickname. "My sister was an evil toad."

"Did she kill innocent people and enslave an entire kingdom?" Elyan asked with a pointed look.

"That's fair." Gwaine muttered, leaning against a tree. "You're one to talk, Elyan. Your sister is the bloody queen. We can't all be as lucky as you." Elyan simply smiled contentedly. "What about you, Merlin?"

"Only child." Merlin replied. Gwaine turned to Leon, who just shook his head.

"You both are lucky. You don't have to deal with evil sisters. Percival?" The large knight winced slightly, as if he'd hope to go unnoticed.

"I had a brother and a sister." A few sympathetic looks came from the others at the use of _had_.

"You don't have to talk about it, Percival." Arthur assured him. But the knight smiled, holding up a hand.

"It's alright. It's my way of keeping their memory alive." The other men seemed to shift closer a little, like children eagerly awaiting a story. "My brother, John, died young. He was overtaken by the same fever that took our mother. My sister and I lived with our father for many years after, until tragedy struck again." Percival hesitated, uncomfortable with all the attention. "I never really got a clear story, but my sister was out one day, picking wild strawberries, of all things. Apparently, she was attacked by a man..." the knight's gaze hardened. "She managed to fight him off, but ended up killing him in the process. The man's mother was a sorcerer," the mood seemed to shift in a darker direction at the mention of magic. "And she cursed my sister to kill forever more."

No one seemed to notice Merlin as his breathing quickened. This story seemed a little too familiar to the young man.

"My sister came home that night, bloody, bruised, and scared. Eventually, my father and I got her into bed, and we thought that was the end of it. It was around midnight when I heard my father's..." Percival swallowed, glancing hesitantly at the knights. "I heard my father's screams. I rushed to find him, and when I did, it was too late. The curse my sister had, it forced her to turn into a beast at night, and to kill anyone that stood in her path. I hid, and by morning, she was back to normal. With no family left, we sought out the druids."

"Why them?" Arthur asked.

Percival shrugged in response. "She was under a curse. We needed someone with magic to help. The druids were more than willing to help, until they found out about her curse. Or more specifically, what it was. When I woke up the next morning, I found out they had cast her out. They claimed she was a danger to all of them. I... I searched for her, but I never found her."

"So you have no idea what happened to her?" Leon asked. Percival opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by Gwaine.

"Merlin, are you alright?" The manservant's head shot up, allowing the knights to see his face clearly. Merlin was obviously distressed about something. But he only shook his head, refusing to answer.

"I actually got a message from her weeks later. She sent it to me using... magic." He was a little hesitant using the word.

"What did it say?" Even Arthur wanted to know what had happened.

"It said she had been captured by a bounty hunter not long after the druids sent her away. Apparently, the man's name was Halig." Arthur and Leon winced at the mention of the man. A girl who killed at night, captured by a bounty hunter. This story was becoming familiar to them as well. "My sister was taken to Camelot, to be sold to Uther because of her magic. In her message, she told me someone helped her escape. A man." A slight chuckle came from the knight. "The way she talked about him... she told me that this man made her feel loved, more than anyone else could have. She told me about how they were going to run away together." Percival's mouth twisted into a frown. "I'm assuming they never made it out, because I never heard from her again."

"What was her name?" Elyan was quiet when he asked. A smile was on Percival's lips when he opened his mouth to answer. But it wasn't him who answered in the end.

"Freya." The knights whipped their heads towards Merlin in surprise. His expression was anguished as he met the questioning gazes of the other men.

"Yes, that was her name." Percival's tone was incredulous. Arthur sucked in a breath, staring at his manservant in shock.

"Merlin, how did you know that?" The king demanded, a sinking feeling in his gut. Unshed tears were in Merlin's eyes as he spoke.

"We were going to find a house by a lake."

And that's when they knew exactly what he meant


	19. Wedding of Dreams

**A/N: As per request: a Freylin wedding. I hope that you like it!**

 **Setting: None in particular.**

 **Description: Today is the happiest day of Merlin's life.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin or whatever feelings this might invoke.**

* * *

Freya paced nervously around the bright room, wringing her hands together. Her white dress trailed behind her on the floor.

"Freya, if you don't stop pacing, you'll wear a path into the floor." Gwen placed a hand on her friend's arm. "Or worse, a hole into your dress." That made the girl settle down somewhat.

"What if something happens?" Freya asked, chewing on her lip. "What if my magic gets out of control? What if his magic gets out of control? What if I trip while walking down the aisle? What if-"

"Freya!" Gwen's no-nonsense voice broke through her worries. "You'll be just fine. Now stop worrying and let me fix your hair. It became loose during all your pacing."

Freya sighed. "You're right, Gwen. I'm being rather silly right now, aren't I?"

"It's perfectly normal to feel nervous. I remember when Arthur and I got married. I practically ran away I was feeling so scared." Gwen smiled at the memory. "Merlin was actually the one to get me to calm down. I felt so bad for him- he was running between me and Arthur all morning." Freya laughed, some of her tension melting away. "But the moment I saw Arthur, all of my worries and fear melted away. It was like it was just the two of us in the room." She pushed one final pin into place in Freya's hair, stepping back to admire her work.

"Thank you, Gwen." Freya turned around to face her friend. "For everything."

"If you two ladies are done chatting away, you do have a wedding to get to!" Both women looked to see Arthur standing in the doorway, waiting impatiently.

"Right, well," Gwen checked over Freya one last time. "We don't want to keep Merlin waiting, do we?"

"I doubt he'd know the difference." Arthur interjected. "He's just... staring into space with an idiot grin on his face. If I didn't know he was getting married, I'd say he was enchanted."

"He is enchanted, Arthur." Gwen said, grinning slyly at Freya. "He's enchanted with the love of his life."

Freya smirked. "Well, I hope that the enchantment doesn't effect anything that he does. Especially not for tonight." Gwen burst out laughing as Arthur gagged, _loudly_.

"That was _not_ something I wanted to think about." The king muttered, his face pale.

"Whatever are you referring to, my lord?" Freya asked innocently. "I was simply saying that I hope Merlin gets the chance to enjoy the wonderful feast after the ceremony." Arthur shot her a glare, but couldn't help but smile at the happiness that shone in her eyes. It mirrored Merlin's expression so much that it convinced Arthur even more that the two were made for each other.

They reached the large, ornate doors that marked their destination. Arthur gave one last smile to Freya before entering, and just before the doors closed, Freya caught the smallest glimpse of Merlin standing in there.

"Are you ready?" Gwen squeezed her hands reassuringly.

"To marry the man I love?" Freya nodded. "I always have been."

* * *

Merlin couldn't help but smile. It felt like he'd been doing it ever since Freya returned, but today, it was wider than ever. He sat in his large chambers -which he was still getting used to- with Gwaine's quiet humming keeping him company.

" _Mer_ lin, what-" the sentence was cut off by the sound of a shriek. The sound of Arthur's voice had startled the Court Sorcerer, and when he turned around to face the source of the shriek, he saw the Once and Future King hovering upside down. Gwaine chortled at the sight while Arthur huffed in indignation.

"Er- sorry Arthur. My magic is a little out of sorts today."

"Yes, yes, that's nice. But can you _get me down_?!"

"Right, right, sorry." With a wave of his hand, Arthur was sent crashing to the ground with another shriek. The king scowled as he picked himself up, brushing his clothes off.

"Why did I make you my Court Sorcerer again?" Arthur asked.

"Because I revealed my magic, died, came back, and saved your life all within ten minutes?" Merlin grinned.

"No, no, that's not it." Arthur dismissed it with a wave of his hand.

"Come on," Gwaine threw his arm around Arthur's shoulders. "We all know it's because Gwen made him do it." Arthur glared at the knight, making Merlin laugh.

"Listen, the only reason I came is to tell you that it's time. Gwaine, you take Merlin, and I'll go get Freya." The knight nodded, grabbing the warlock by his shoulder and dragged him out of the room.

"Let's go mate. We gotta get you up there before the nerves start kicking in. I promised Arthur and Gwen that I wouldn't let you get cold feet." Not that he would ever even consider walking away from this. Merlin let his mind slip off into dream land once more as Gwaine led him down the castle halls.

The next thing he knew, Merlin was standing in front of a crowd, staring intently at the doors, as if that would make Freya enter faster. He fidgeted nervously with his sleeves while shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

Suddenly the doors opened, and Merlin watched as Arthur walked in. The king walked quickly up to Merlin, and the chattering of people in the room died down considerably.

Arthur grinned as he placed a hand on Merlin's shoulder. "Are you ready?"

"To marry the love of my life? I always have been."

"You're such a _girl_ Merlin." Arthur teased, poking fun at the choice of words.

"Freya won't think so. Especially not after tonight." Merlin dropped his voice down to a whisper, just to make sure no one heard it. However, everyone heard Arthur's groan.

"Oh _no_ , there's _two_ of them." Arthur muttered to himself.

The sound of the doors opening once more made Merlin's gaze focus on them. In walked Freya, with Gwen right behind her.

Merlin felt an indescribable feeling as he watched her practically glide towards him, almost as if in a dream. It was like he was seeing her again for the first time. Merlin carefully memorized every single detail about her, so that he could always have this to hold onto, even when they were both old and grey.

And now, Freya was standing in front of him, a wide smile on her face. The ceremony went by quickly, but Merlin felt as if it couldn't go fast enough.

"And I pronounce you husband and wife." Arthur announced proudly. "You may kiss-" the king didn't even get a chance to finish his sentence.

Everything faded away until Freya was all that there was.

Until Freya was everything.

With her lips on his, Merlin knew it was destined to be.

* * *

 **Geez this was so sappy. I legitimately considered adding on at the end**

 ** _"And Merlin woke up."_**

 **But I figured that was cruel, even for me. I hope you enjoyed this oneshot!**


End file.
